Antique & Vintage Postcards

Two heraldic shields cross beneath a golden crown on a diamond-patterned background in blue, cream, and gold — the proud civic arms of München (Munich) and the lozengy standard of Ober-Bayern (Upper Bavaria) rendered in fine chromolithographic embossed printing from C. Andelfinger & Co.'s Kunstanstalt München, dated 1899 in the artist's hand. The Munich coat of arms displays the iconic Münchner Kindl — the black-robed monk-child who has symbolized the city since medieval times — while the Bavarian lozenge flag in azure and argent asserts regional pride. The card was archived by a collector named Dobert (Archiv: Dobert 153, stamped 20 Aug. 1961), suggesting it passed through a significant philatelic or postcard collection and was never mailed. The artist initialed the work "L. Rhende 99" in the lower right. Published under copyright ("gesetzlich geschützt"), this is a fine example of the Gruss-aus heraldic style that dominated German souvenir publishing at the turn of the century.